Sri Lanka vs India: SLC to pick alternate squad if COVID cases increase in the camp

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is currently waiting eagerly and anxiously for the reports of the COVID-19 of its players who are currently in quarantine and are likely to play the ODI and T20I series against India. The worry comes after the team’s performance analyst GT Niroshan tested positive along with batting coach Grant Flower. 

Due to the positive cases, SLC put the players in an extended period of quarantine, which meant the series against India which was going to start on July 13, will now start on July 17. However, the board has already decided that in case any more positive cases are found in the team, they would go ahead with an alternative squad against India, just like England did against Pakistan just a few days back. 

SLC Secretary Mohan de Silva, in an interaction with the media, said, “In the event that there are more positive cases leading up to the first ODI on 17 July, they were preparing to field an alternate team from the squads that are practicing in Dambulla and in Colombo and are in a bio-bubble.” 

Even if they pass quarantine, Sri Lankan players may play without any proper practice session

SLC has already put two separate teams in bio-bubble. Besides the team which traveled from England, another set of players are training and practicing in bio-bubble in Dambulla with some others are in Colombo. A few days ago, the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) had to make up an alternate squad of players for their series against Pakistan, after the initially selected squad had to be quarantined due to some positive cases. 

“All players of the team have tested negative, but we are mindful of the fact that the team’s batting coach & data analyst tested positive and for that reason, we are likely to reschedule the series,” Mohana De Silva was quoted saying by InsideSport. 

The Sri Lankan team is now even at a position where they might have to play the series against India without a proper practice session. Due to the extended period of quarantine, the home players will not get proper time to practice before they face. Though an official statement around the postponement of the start of the series is yet to be made, it is almost certain that a delay is in place as far as the ODI series is concerned. 

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